Weather News

Turbulent start to new year for NSW

A string of warm and humid days at the end of December gave way to heavy rain and violent thunderstorms in northeast New South Wales at the start 2017.

A low pressure trough crossing the state in recent days triggered intense thunderstorms as it moved over the state's northeast and northern inland on Sunday and Monday.

Thunderstorms put on a natural light show that at times rivalled Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks spectacle. There were more than 200,000 lightning strikes recorded within a 300 kilometre radius of Tamworth during the first 48 hours of 2017, although some of these occurred over the Tasman Sea and southern Queensland.

Rain from theses storms was heavy enough to produce localised flash flooding at times. Lismore received more than 50mm of rain in half an hour on Monday and nearby Ewing Bridge saw 102mm in an hour. Goonengerry registered 171mm during the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday.

The thunderstorms also caused damaging wind gusts in excess of 90 kilometres per hour in some places, including Coonabarabran on Sunday.

After a volatile start to the year, calmer conditions returned to New South Wales today as a high pressure ridge pushed the storm-producing trough into Queensland.